Jobs for People Who Dislike Face-to-Face Interaction

Hate social interaction? Consider careers suited for people who prefer working alone.

By Tony Moton

If you're a career seeker who prefers to save your human interaction
for friends and family, or just the type who values his or her alone
time, we've got good news.
"There are lots of careers that are ideal for people who don't want
face time," says Tina Gilbertson, a Portland, Oregon-based
psychotherapist who specializes in holistic career counseling.
And while every job has an element of human interaction, that doesn't
mean there aren't opportunities that allow for minimal face-to-face
contact.
Intrigued? Keep reading to learn more about six careers where face time is usually kept at a minimum.

Find Degree Programs
Does working on a computer without the potential distraction of
co-workers seem like an ideal situation for you? If that's the case, you
might want to consider a career in computer programming.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, common duties include
writing programs in various computer languages, debugging programs, and
using computer-assisted software engineering (CASE) tools to automate
the writing of some code.Alone Time Factor: Computer programmers typically
spend most of their working hours away from face-to-face situations with
co-workers, says Denise Nicole Cook, founder of The Honest Info career
counseling firm of Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Programmers tend to work odd hours, early in the morning to late in
the evening, and with that, there's no need to work with people who
could slow them down," Cook says. "Language skills and social skills
aren't as important to them as meeting deadlines or milestones on their
projects."Next step:Click to Find the Right Computer Science Program.How to Get Started: The Department of Labor reports
that most computer programmers have a bachelor's degree, but some
employers do hire workers who possess an associate's degree. If you're
wondering what to study, consider computer science or a related field of
study. According to the Department, that's what most programmers
pursue.

Find Degree Programs
Would you rather be consumed by engaging research or idle chatter
with co-workers throughout the day? If your answer is the former, a
career as a market research analyst could meet your professional needs.
Forecasting marketing and sales trends, gathering data about
consumers and competitors, and converting complex data into
comprehensible reports are among the common duties of these analysts,
according to the U.S. Department of Labor.Alone Time Factor: "What you do is compile the data
from focus groups or telemarketing calls," Cook says. "What's great
about it is that you are looking at numbers for specific trends and you
have to focus on that. You don't want interruptions because one wrong
piece of data can invalidate your whole result."
To do the job properly, face-to-face interaction is probably low on
the totem pole of daily activities for market research analysts, says
Cook. "You need that intense concentration to get the most accurate
reporting you can get," she adds.Next step:Click to Find the Right Business Program.How to Get Started: Typically, market analysts need a
bachelor's degree in market research or a related field, says the
Department of Labor. However, many have degrees in fields such as math,
computer science, and statistics, while others have backgrounds in
business administration, communications, or the social sciences, the
Department adds.

Find Degree Programs
Are you enthused by the idea of examining financial records without
having to deal with face-to-face conversations all the time? If so,
working as an accountant could supply you with the kind of privacy you
desire.Alone Time Factor: "When you are dealing with a
person's or an organization's money, you want to make sure the numbers
are right," Cook says. "With a lot of accounting jobs, you need to focus
and pay attention when going through thousands of pieces of paper or
line items on a computer."
Although accountants sometimes work in teams and meet with clients,
they may spend much of their time on their own. On a typical day, they
might spend this time computing taxes and maintaining financial records,
according to the U.S. Department of Labor.Next step:Click to Find the Right Accounting Program.How to Get Started: According to the Department of
Labor, a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field is required
for most accounting positions. The Department also says some employers
prefer hiring candidates with a master's degree, either in accounting or
in business administration with a concentration in accounting.

Find Degree Programs
Does a career on the administrative side of the health care field
sound interesting to you? If that's true, working as a medical records
and health information technician could keep you more behind-the-scenes.
Reviewing patient records, tracking patient outcomes for quality
assessment, and protecting patients' health information for
confidentiality are among the duties of these technicians, according to
the U.S. Department of Labor.Alone Time Factor: Face-to-face interaction, Cook says, isn't normally a priority in the performance of these duties.
"A lot of our medical records and account statements are going online
to computer-based systems, so they don't have to work face-to-face with
other people," Cook says of medical records technicians.Next step:Click to Find the Right Health Information Systems & Technology Program.How to Get Started: These professionals typically
need a postsecondary certificate to enter the occupation, and they may
have an associate's degree, explains the Department of Labor. Many
employers may require professional certification as well.

Find Degree Programs
Looking for a career that might give you an opportunity to take a
bite out of crime without logging lots of face time with others? You
might want to think about pursuing a career as an information security
analyst.
Responsibilities might include installing and using security-related
software, preparing reports about security breaches, and developing
security standards and practices for their organizations, according to
the U.S. Department of Labor.Alone Time Factor: According to Cook, analysts in
this field do plenty of their sleuthing in the shadows of their
computers and away from other workers.
"When you are dealing with cybercrime, there is a lot of detail
work," Cook says. "You are following the trail of an IP (Internet
Protocol) address of a hacking crime or identity theft ring or going
into a chat room to find out who may have stolen credit cards. You are
talking about a career where you need to be focused."Next step:Click to Find the Right IT & Information Systems Program.How to Get Started: If you're interested in a career
as an information security analyst, the Department of Labor says they
usually need a bachelor's degree in computer science, programming, or a
related subject, in addition to related work experience. Sometimes,
employers might consider candidates with a master's degree in business
administration in information systems.

Find Degree Programs
Do you have a huge creative side that flourishes best with a little
privacy? You might want to think about a career as a graphic designer.
These designers could be responsible for the layout and production
design for advertisements, brochures, and corporate reports, according
to the U.S. Department of Labor. Sometimes designers meet with clients
or art directors to work out the scope of a project. But once that's
done, Cook notes, designers are left alone to create works that speak
for themselves.Alone Time Factor: "You can be someone who's
non-sociable in this career," says Cook. However, she notes that you
have to be in tune with what works. "As graphic artists, your creativity
is the product. In some corporate environments, you have to make
presentations, but most of the times you don't. When you work
independently, you can send things via email, web link, or via YouTube,
and you don't have to be face-to-face."Next step:Click to Find the Right Graphic Design Program.How to Get Started: The Department of Labor reports
that a bachelor's degree in graphic design or a related field is usually
needed. But for people who have a bachelor's degree in another field,
they could pursue technical training in graphic design "to meet most
hiring qualifications," adds the Department.